College briefs

Scott A. Sheldon, ACP Member, of Chattanooga, Tenn., won the Recruit-a-Colleague raffle held during Annual Session in Philadelphia. Dr. Sheldon will receive free registration, airfare and four nights of hotel accommodations at ACP's 2007 annual meeting in San Diego.

The 2006 winner—James M. Leonardo, FACP, from Cooperstown, N.Y.—and John A. Mitas, FACP, the College's Deputy Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, drew the winning raffle entry. Dr. Leonardo was inducted as a new Fellow at this year’s Convocation.

The Recruit-a-Colleague program encourages ACP members to recruit nonmember colleagues to join the College. For each colleague recruited, members have their name entered in the grand prize raffle to win an all-expense-paid trip to ACP's annual scientific meeting.

In addition, members get $100 credit toward their ACP national annual dues for each colleague—up to a total of two—they help recruit. Members who recruit three colleagues to full ACP membership before March 1, 2007, will have their 2007-08 national annual dues paid in full.

ACP members recently received an e-mail inviting them to pay their ACP membership dues for the next fiscal year. Print bills were also mailed last month.

You may pay online through the “Pay Your Dues Link” on the secure, encrypted ACP Web site. To pay by phone or for questions, contact Customer Service at 800-523-1546, ext. 2600, or 215-351-2600 (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. ET).

ACP membership keeps you up to date on the latest medical information, while giving you substantial discounts on many College educational products and providing support for ACP’s public policy efforts. Details about ACP activities plus member benefits and services are online.

When you receive your national ACP dues notice, remember to include chapter dues in your payment.

Chapter dues provide the primary support for local initiatives and are vital to the success of your chapter. Activities supported by chapter dues include educational meetings, mentoring programs for medical students, local Associates’ research competitions, and advocacy with state legislators and chapter leaders’ participation in Leadership Day. Chapter dues also help offset the cost of local support staff and provide funding for new and existing chapter initiatives.

ACPNet, the College’s practice-based research network, is looking for volunteers to participate in upcoming research and evaluation projects.

ACPNet helps translate research into practice and has been involved in several national quality improvement studies. Network members agree to become physician-researchers, helping to develop clinically relevant questions and applying new research methods in an ambulatory care setting. Participants have the opportunity to better understand their clinical practice patterns and to contribute to the body of evidence-based medicine.

Participation is voluntary and physicians decide how much time they want to spend on projects that interest them. Upon completion of a project, physicians are given a certificate identifying their practice as a Practice-based Research Network site. Significant advances are recognized by an ACPNet Pioneer Medal and considered for inclusion in ACP’s Annual Session scientific program.

ACPNet is currently recruiting for upcoming projects on evaluating new products related to the College’s diabetes initiative and educational programs. For more information, visit the network’s Web site or contact Meghan Gannon at 215-351-2847 or via e-mail.

Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific
knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and
compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex
illness. ACP Internist provides news and information for internists
about the practice of medicine and reports on the policies, products and
activities of ACP. All published material, which is covered by
copyright, represents the views of the contributor and does not reflect
the opinion of the American College of Physicians or any other
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